Probably the strongest tea I have had in a long time. I loved this one. It's not for the faint of heart, though!

Upton's humble "Nandi Royal OP" really blew me away, so I was eager to try this. Compared to that one, this is a higher-grade broken-leaf tea, more tippy, but more broken. The price on this is slightly higher but still quite cheap. The two teas turned out to have little in common; it's like night and day. Whereas that one is smooth and subdued, this one is in-your-face. Yet both are wonderfully aromatic.

The leaf smells delightful: fresh and light, lightly malty, with some notes of spice and earth. The smell combines aromatic elements of some lower-grown teas like Assam with more high-altitude Himalayan teas like Darjeelings.

The aroma of the brewed cup is richly malty, and much more spicy than I expected from the leaf; there are also fruity and floral notes. Very aromatically rich. Full-bodied, thick mouthfeel. Strong and balanced flavor, quite bitter and also a bit savory, sour, and sweet. Moderately astringent finish.

This is a more powerful tea in all regards. The flavor is much stronger, and it seems more caffeinated. The overall character is very different; much more like a Ceylon or a classic English Breakfast tea.

Looking at the tea after brewing is interesting; a few of the pieces of leaf are greener, a little like in some Darjeelings.

Upton recommends 3-5 minute steep time...what in the world are they thinking? I recommend max 3, probably 2 or less would be good for some people!

I think this is a great deal, great price for a tea of this quality. That said, if I had to choose, I slightly prefer the OP grade; it's cheaper, but I'd probably even take it if it were higher-priced.

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